Category Archives: Crafts

Fall is here! All those heavy Steampunk clothes can come out of the closet and be worn with panache!

Need some events to show off your steamy style?

Heeeeeere we go!

Steampunk November

Live entertainment, libations, games, music and more at the 2nd annual Cut Thrust and Run Steampunk November. I had the honor of being at the 1st gathering last year, MUCH fun, but small. I’ll be interested to see how much it has grown.

Two days of musical and Vaudeville-esqe entertainment, mysterious “soon-to-be-revealed Austin maker groups”, a Maker Mad Science Lab for kids of all ages to create and experiment. A little to vague in its description for my taste, but, meh still sounds neat. They have a good music line up such as…

Marquis of Vaudeville, Shakey Graves, and the Darwin Prophet.

Family Friendly, but watch out parents, after 10 on Saturday things get feisty.

An amazing two day extravaganza celebrating fabulous Burlesque! Just on night one there will be over 40 performers with over six hours of entertainment lined up for your viewing pleasure! (If I were in New York Friday I would totally be there).

The Exhibition is a collaboration between the Derbyshire Steampunk and Time Travellers Guild and The Nottingham Steampunk Social in the UK.

The Exhibition actually began in October, and runs through November 18th. So if you find yourself twiddling your thumbs go check out the fabulous show of artwork that this Exhibition highlights, sure to be a fabulous adventure!

Alright my steamy friends I hope you have a chance to find some Steampunk excitement this fall. And my apologies (yet again) for my internet absence.

It has been going to good use. I have been actively working on my upcoming novel. It is in the editing stages. It is tedious, but to see it coming together is truly exciting. You’ll recognize a character or two from my short story Animatae’s Shadow.

This weekend marks the 38th year that Galveston, TX has hosted Dicken’s On The Strand. For

those who have not heard of it let me sum it up:

Victorian recreation of Galveston during it’s hey-day. During the late Victorian era Galveston was the largest city in Texas and had very close ties to London.

This weekend hosts vendors, performers and…that’s right…Steampunk on the Strand.

There are many, many, many events for the family. Dickens on The Strand is a lot of fun, even if the weather is dreary (as it currently is in Texas), and thankfully the ‘board-walks’ are covered.

A few of the events Dickens has to offer are:

Queens Parade

Dickens Costume Contest

Pinwicks Lantern Parade

Albert’s Whimsical Whisker Revue

Victorian Bed Races

Per usual the Airship Isabella will be there. Last year their Airship and vendor booth took up nearly an entire lot (this event is very large).

Many, many, many Airships will be participating this year, more even than last. I had the pleasure of going last year. I remember the costumes as particularly stunning. Truly I have not been to another Victorian event with such elaborate detail to Victorian period costuming.

If you are already taking part in the festivities leave a comment!!!

If you are also unable to make it here is a link to a live web-cam of the festivities!

Is the hallowed holiday of costuming sneaking up on you? Don’t have your costume ready? Have run out of ideas and cash?

Fret no longer, I have done the legwork for you.

While cruising around the inter-webs I discovered that on Etsy, one of my favorite places, prices have creeped up.

Steampunk costuming generally is never cheap, but I was quite shocked that some crafts people are charging upwards of $120 for jewelry that is neither precious, semi precious or all that intricate. Another shocker was full Victorian garb for $2000.00!

Oh my.

I still love you Etsy. I understand that things will always be a little pricey due to the nature of the site BUT for all of you who are on the holiday budget crunch and don’t mind mass market production clothing I have a few favorite places to share. I would like to say I’m going off the premise that you fair readers have run out of time to sew, craft and piecemeal together, as we all know, most Steampunks do all the above for their costumes. Here are two websites with ready-made outfits for purchase:

I heart GoodGoth. Sorry Gentlemen, this is website is mostly for ladies…unless you like to cross-dress then by all means please do check out this

GoodGoth.com

website it’s wonderful! If not skip to the section below GoodGoth.

I discovered GoodGoth about 3 years ago. It is not a Halloween specific or character costume website. They are dedicated to Gothic inspired clothing, but they have so much more. Their clothing is very good quality and their prices are fabulous. They also send out weekly coupons.

They cater to the Gothic crowd, but they have integrated Steampunk into their wares.

So even if you don’t wear this clothing year ’round, it’s a wonderful place for costuming and accessorizing. I am partial to their shoes too (must avert mine eyes or I’ll buy their whole stock of boots).

DressLkeAPirate.com isn’t too bad. There is more for men to find that’s for sure. It’s still a bit pricey, but there’s also the advantage of the being able to buy a complete premade costume. If you don’t want to do that and just need an extra jabot, pirate shirt, pair of boots, or walking stick this is an excellent resource.

I have not personally bought anything from this site, but I have spoken to customers who have had a pleasurable experience and little hassle with their transactions.

DressLikeAPirate.com

I want to emphasize that they do have a variety of men’s clothing. I know that it is very difficult to find a good variety of menswear and accessories for Steampunk. It is a shame really.

For the rest of the week I will be posting websites that cater to Steampunk and Steampunk-esqe costuming that is affordable and not widely talked about. Everyone who has been around the Steampunk scene has heard of SteampunkEmporium, and the GentlemensEmporium…at least I hope so. If not men go check it out, but prices can get steep quick. Don’t be afraid of switching out $80.00 trousers for $8.00 thrifted trousers.

Also guys don’t be afraid of looking in the women’s section at your local thrift store for good pants. Steampunk and Neo-Victorian patterns tended toward the bold and ridiculous. Your maleness will not be diminished in the slightest if you pick up the most hideous paisley printed or stripped pants from the women’s aisle. In fact your panache points will go up infinitely. A paisley print pant with a solid colored vest, add boots or dress shoes, you are on your way to a damned fine outfit.

I speak from experience. Several men in the Gypsy Steam Circus ventured into the female pant territory to rock out their Steampunk look and it worked better than any of us expected. I’m talking purple paisley pants with purple stripped vest, black leather top hat (yes you know who you are). It was great, and they had an overwhelming positive feedback about their outfit. No one would have guessed it was all female clothing.

If you have any favorite costuming websites please share by leaving a comment. If you have an Etsy or any other independent shop that caters to Steampunk costuming do not be afraid of self promotion, leave your link in the comment section.

The Knights & Ladies of the Four Winds Renaissance Faire journey into the Aether glimpsing airships and sky pirates along the way for a Steampunk Extravaganza.

The year: 1881.

The place: The infamous Wild, Wild, West.

Gambling, wenching, and brawling meet you as you enter a brass and goggle haven. Tighten your corsets, adjust your top hats, shine your boots, you are about to walk into a page of the future-past that never was.

Join the Victorian Time Benders, the première Steampunk vendors in the region for fabulous Neo-Victorian wares. The Darwin Prophet will make a stop in their travels to fill your ears with an aural exhibition straight from the Aether. Steampunk Multiculturalism will be in full effect as wonderful Native American arts and crafts will be for purchase.

The Wild, Wild West Steampunk Extravaganza will be teeming with activities, crafts, and fun games for children and the whole family. Musicians, dancers, comedy and stage performances will attract the eye and tickle the funny bone.

Feast on exotic food and drinks delivered directly via dirigible on this fantastical weekend. The Four Winds cast will take you on a Steampunk Wild Wild West Adventure like you have never experienced before!

The first Steampunk convention of Texas was a wonderful success. People from all over the United

AetherFest Group Picture

States came to participate in a uniquely intimate Steampunk Convention.

One of the events included a barrage of Steampunks on promenade to the Alamo. It was a walk of two blocks. Two fabulous blocks that Steampunks were able to show their personas to the world at large. Two blocks of passers-by stopping and staring. Two blocks of questions, and two blocks of people literally pulling their cars to the curb to take photos.

After the photographers from Penland Photography corralled the happy, and slightly giddy bunch of AetherFest Steampunks into order an official group photo was taken directly in front of the legendary Alamo.

For a moment the various tourists who where originally there to marvel over the historic site were sidetracked by the Neo-Victorian interlopers. A sizable crowd of camera toting tourists gathered in front of the posed Steampunks and took their own pictures, both marveling and skeptical emotions playing on their faces.

After the photographs were completed the Emperor of the Red Fork Empire took a moment to

The Emperor

pontificate his mission which is, to put it simply, fighting the “dull”. His voice rose, his arms gestured passionately as he stressed the importance of not letting the “dull” creep into our beings by using one’s innate creativity to fight it.

In a flash he whirled around and pointed with the “The Will of the People” at the “dull”. The tourists who stood before the Steampunk crowd, with their camera’s and fanny packs looked startled. Finally aware that they were indeed the Emperor’s subject matter. “They are the dull! Go speak to them…” He ordered, in which a few of the less bashful Steampunks did venture forth into the land of the “dull” to impress upon the confused tourists the art, mission and beauty of Steampunk.

The Emperor is a most affable and determined man. He is determined to fight the “dull” and his humor and wit never lag while he seeks to pursue his mission. Not surprisingly his panel was a favorite with attendees, as well as The Peacemaker and Lucretia. The Peacemaker and Lucretia flew from New York to be apart of the AetherFest experience. Her panel on multiculturalism is a treasure trove of information for those who know only a smattering about cultural and historical affairs during the Victorian period.

Too soon the large group of Steampunks were heading back to the St. Anthony’s Hotel. The

Peacock Alley

102 year old St. Anthony was the perfect backdrop for the event. The convention go-ers did not look out of place at the St. Anthony’s…not many Steampunk’s can say that about their conventions. Yet Pablo, Cameron and Jahmes, the chairmen and brains behind AetherFest have the vision and energy to know the St. Anthony would be the perfect place for Texas’s first Steampunk Convention.

The tenth floor (the top floor) was where convention HQ and most of the VIPs were kept. It is also where the most haunted room in the hotel is reported to be. The infamous room 1080. The bathtub is rumored to fill with blood. I asked the Airship who was staying in that room if that was actually the case. The Celestial Rogues said they weren’t willing to take the chance…

It was soon obvious that Steampunk is something different and unique to past punk movements.

Cracked Monocle & the Gaming Room

The hotel staff and other guests at the hotel frequently commented on the polite and friendly mein of the Steampunks in attendance which encouraged further curiosity and made it easy to spread the knowledge of Steampunk.

The unique intimacy of this event came from the fact that the chairmen did not want numbers to exceed 500 attendees. Unlike other events Steampunks were able to not just meet OM Grey, The Emperor, The Peacemaker and Lucretia and the other panel guests they were able to sit down and build a relationship with them.

Captain Cedric Whittaker of the Airship Isabella reclined in an overstuffed chair and waxed poetic on his vision of the future of Steampunk in the main thoroughfare of Peacock Alley. There was no

Captain Whittaker & SCARS

pressure to move out of the way of surging crowds. In fact Captains’ and crew of other Airships sprawled on the floor and relaxed on neighboring chairs and settees and bantered ideas of the emerging SCARS organisation. The atmosphere of the whole convention was one of relaxation and friendly community.

The nighttime entertainment did not disappoint. Friday’s nights Opening Ceremonies kicked the Convention off with an Airship dinner on the roof of the hotel, meant to thank and promote active Airships. One representative from each Airship at the dinner was encouraged to come on stage introduce themselves and their ship. Representatives from Airship Nocturne, Isabella, Celestial Rogues, Eden Falls, Constantine, Bonny Reed, Aurora, Calypso and several more trekked to the stage in their Steam finery Friday evening. More Airships showed up later that night and Saturday to take part in the convention.

The roof of the Hotel boasts a stage and large area for dining and dancing with a fabulous view of

Burlesque Performance

downtown San Antonio perfect for the musical entertainment that opened up the night. Master Bones Jangle, and Addisyn Madd serenaded the crowd about Steam and the Sea before the Devil Bunnies Burlesque Troupe took the stage. A mix of 21st century meets 19th century style performers riled up the crowd. Their dances are an eclectic mix of traditional and neo-burlesque, just perfect for the AetherFest crowd. The dinner and its entertainment wound down around 12:30 am. Background music let guests mingle and chat on the rooftop for quite sometime.

Saturday nights performances were quite a treat. Vaudeville Under The Stars is what the event was called in the schedule, and indeed it was just that. Stars winked down on the Marquis of Vaudeville and the acts associated with them. A fog machine and light show gave further ambiance to Poi spinning Steampunks and Flag twirling circus freaks in the crowd. Hipnautica finished up the night with

Hipnautica

their new string of Steampunk inspired songs. It was my first time hearing Hipnautica and I was pleasantly surprised. They are self declared Dark World Elektronik, and I must admit I was a little curious how this would meld with the AetherFest vision. It melded beautifully. Their sound was the perfect follow up for the Marquis of Vaudeville. Hipnautica’s heavy electronic sound was wonderfully ethereal. The Steampunks had already had a day out of time, and Hipnautica was the nightcap.

People began to disperse as the music wound down. For the ones who wanted, it was after party time. Room 1040 was the hot spot. Rum flowed freely, and people made merry. Then security said it was getting too rowdy. (Not surprising when three dozen Steampunks are crushed into one suite.) The after party moved back to the roof and the treat of the night happened. A completely acoustic, a completely raw moment under the stars with Master Bones Jangle and his band. Steampunks stomped their feet and threw their partners around to the rhythm of the music. It was wonderful, it was muggy, and it was a completely happy moment for all.

Then I went to bed.

For anyone who participated in AetherFest and would like to share their experiences please leave your comments here and I will post them shortly.

The Steampunk Illumination Society has organized a Society Picnic for all you Steamy (and not so Steamy) folk. The Society Picnic is adding up to be a

Society Picnic

wonderful example of Steampunk Community and friendship.

This is a family friendly event that will propel you to the great outdoors on a beautiful and sunny weekend. The picnic is wholly a community event. A potluck of sorts organized by SIS and it’s members. Each guest should bring either food, drink, condiments, or clean up supplies to aid the social.

SIS is sponsoring hotdogs, a single coveted door prize and is inviting individuals to bring other items to be raffled to create more fun for all. There will also be a scrapbook that every attendee is invited to be apart of that will be sent to the Tsunami victims of Japan.

The venue is Victoria Park in Irving, TX. It is a public park and free to get in and park. According to the Victoria Park website the parks amenities include:

It would be most interesting to see Steampunks playing volleyball in corsets and goggles…if that should happen, there will be a detailed report.

Here are the details in a nutshell per SIS Society Picnic Event Page. Should you like to attend please RSVP on Facebook @ http://on.fb.me/eL3MRt

Time

Sunday, April 10 · 11:00am – 5:00pm

Location

Victoria Park

3051 West Northgate Dr

Irving, TX

FAQ

Q: May I have a booth at this event?
A: Please contact the city of Irving to make sure this is allowed, and also that you do not need to obtain a permit for sales. If you purchase a permit, be prepared to show proof, or you may not be allowed to set up. To get more information, please call Irving City Parks and Recreation: 972-721-2600 – Dial 1 and then 6 at the prompts.

Q: Are dogs allowed?
A: Yes, but the city’s law is that the dog must remain on a leash at all times, and you are responsible for picking up after your pet does his/her business. So bring some baggies &/or a poop scooper.

Q: Will we be allowed to have alcohol there?
A: No. The city has stated alcohol is not allowed within the park.

Q: Am I required to bring a dish or food/drink contribution?
A: No, however – the more people that pitch in, the more there is to go around. While Captain and I are doing our best to provide the main course of hotdogs, our budget can only stretch so far and we are bound to run out of food if we’re doing it on our own. Thus the involvement of the community – for all to enjoy, and you get a chance to bring diversity in consumable goods to the table.

Q: May I take photos?
A: Absolutely. To those reading this, be forewarned that by attending this picnic, you are agreeing to having your photo taken. 😉 And of course, if you take photos, we’d love to have them shared with us so SIS can add them to the online photo gallery.

Q: How’s parking?
A: Plenty of parking in the school parking next door. It acts as overflow on the weekends. However, if you can carpool – it’s still a good idea as we still don’t have a solid number of those planning to attend. Of course, we also will be sharing with the public (although we have leased out a large covered pavilion).

Q: Is seating available?
A: Yes, in the form of picnic tables and likely some benches. It is still encouraged that you bring chairs though, if you’ve got them. And of course, it’s also a good idea to put your name on your chairs. Just in case someone has the same chair as you.